The Philippines was lauded by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) for its groundbreaking children’s activity book on UN Outer Space treaties, Si Tala at ang Kanyang Lakbay Kalawakan (Tala and her Journey through Outer Space). The English language version of the book was launched by the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of the Philippines in Vienna during a side event at the 64th Session of the Legal SubCommittee of the Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) on 14 May 2025 at the Vienna International Centre. UNOOSA commended the Philippine initiative to advance space education among the youth and announced its support to translate the book into all six official UN languages. 

Tala, whose name means "star" in Filipino, is a young Filipina explorer who journeys into space and learns about UN Outer Space treaties. The book introduces space concepts such as space policy, responsible use of outer space, and space science and technology applications, in a way that is easy to understand and enjoyable for younger children. The book launch was attended by Permanent Representative and Ambassador Evangelina A. Bernas, UNOOSA Director Aarti Holla-Maini, and PhilSA Director General Joel Joseph Marciano Jr.

Ambassador Bernas said the initiative is a manifestation of the Philippines’ strong commitment to promoting responsible use of outer space and the participation of the youth in space discussions. “We hope that by introducing space concepts at a young age, we will be able to inspire the next generation of space diplomats, space scientists, policymakers, and space explorers,” said Ambassador Bernas.

UNOOSA Director Holla-Maini announced that her office will support the translation of the book into all six official languages of the United Nations and highlighted the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, multilingualism, and space for youth programs. END